Int'l. Experts Study Iraqi Missiles

Published 7:00 pm, Sunday, February 9, 2003

Associated Press Writer

Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix is seeking the help of international missile experts to determine if two Iraqi missile programs violate U.N. resolutions.

The experts will spend Monday and Tuesday examining Iraq's production of the Al Samoud 2 and Al Fatah missiles, which in some tests exceeded the maximum 93 mile range allowed under Security Council resolutions in place since the 1991 Gulf War.

Blix has promised to give his assessment of the missile programs to the Security Council when it meets Friday to hear his latest report on Iraq. A finding that the programs violate Iraq's disarmament obligations could provide new ammunition to the U.S. case for military action against Iraq.

Blix explained last week that he wanted international experts, not just his own, to study the technical issues and "give us advice because if we have to take a decision _ and we may have to do so _ then I would like to have the technical side secure."

"I also want to have the legal side secure," he said, explaining that this would be done by U.N. lawyers.

Secretary of State Colin Powell, outlining the U.S. case to the Security Council on Wednesday, said the missiles were prohibited. He also accused Baghdad of illegally importing rocket engines and trying to produce ballistic missiles that fly farther than 625 miles.

Blix told a news conference in Baghdad on Sunday that Iraq turned over more papers this weekend on the two missile types, though he gave no details. The government reported the missile programs and tests in its semiannual report to inspectors and in its 12,000-page weapons declaration on Dec. 7.

In his Jan. 27 report to the council, Blix said "these missiles might very well represent prima facie cases of proscribed systems."

He said the range of the missiles is significant, but some technical issues need to be studied before he makes a conclusion.

"In the meantime, we have asked Iraq to cease flight tests of both missiles," he said.

According to council diplomats, Blix reported that there had been 40 tests on the liquid-fueled Al-Samoud 2, and it went beyond 93 miles 13 times, once to 114 miles. The Al-Fatah, a solid propellant missile, was tested 33 times, and went over 93 miles 8 times, once to 100 miles, the diplomats said on condition of anonymity.

During Blix's visit to Baghdad in January, he said the Iraqis suggested that when they fitted guidance and control systems and other devices to the missiles they would be weighed down and fly less than the limited distance.

In his Jan. 27 presentation, Blix noted that the diameter of the Al Samoud 2, a liquid-fueled missile, was increased to 760 mm despite a 1994 U.N. directive to limit the missile's diameter to less than 600 mm.

He reported that Iraq had refurbished casting chambers to produce missiles of the type that had been destroyed by previous U.N. inspectors. He said the equipment could produce motors for missiles capable of flying much farther than 93 miles.

Despite an arms embargo, Blix said Iraq had imported 380 rocket engines for the Al Samoud 2 as well as chemicals used in propellants, test instruments, and guidance and control systems.

These items "may well be for proscribed purposes" but that has not yet been determined, he said.

"What is clear is that they were illegally brought into Iraq, that is, Iraq or some company in Iraq, circumvented the restrictions imposed by various resolutions," Blix said.